The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-04-22
ABOUT SEED CORN.
Curing More Necessary to Its Succassfu
termination Than Are

/ rsOS S@69 S0ntNe
Curing More Necessary to Its Succassfdi
termination Than Age.
There is now and then a season when
seed corn viii not grow well, and much
trouble is had on this account. Last
spring hundreds of acres of corn had to
be planted over and some fields three
times. But for a remarkably warm au-
tumn, there would have been a great
loss in the corn crop, and with all of
the favorable weather TO ripen the late-
planted, it was not a full crop. All
of this loss and worry comes from
carelessness in the saving of the seed.
While it is always best to select the
most forward and perfect ears, it is
not necessary to do so, in ordeg. to get
seed which will grow. / selected a lot
OF seed the year before which was
barely glazed when the first frost came
the last of September, and this seed
would all grow. / have gathered seed
corn which was in the milk when the
ears were plucked, and it would grow.
have no doubt but that corn will
grow as soon as the chit, or germ, is
fully formed. This is the part which
terminates, and the matter around it,
forming the kernel, is simply food
| stored up for the root ana blade eman-
ating from the germ to feed upon,
until the main root throws out lateral
rootlets, which take up food from the
ground.
When seed corn freezes, the glucose
becomes soured, and this is fatal to its
growth; and this freezing will always
take place when there is enough moist
ure in the corn to cause it to freeze.
When corn is well dried before cold
weather it will always grow unless it
has been so moist or wetted that it has
already fermented or soured on the
cob. This is evident when the cob has
red, or black, or rusty appearance.
Such corn will never grow. The cob
should be clean, white, or it's natural
color, and have no rank smell about it.
Bad-smelling corn should always be re-
jected, or corn with a blackened chit,
or soft one.
When plucked in August, or perhaps
early in September and hung up with
the husks Of, in the sun, corn will
usually get dried or cured enough to
grow well. 1t is best not to wait till
the whole field is ready to cut up, or to
gather, before selecting the seed corn,
as an untimely frost may spoil it, or
the time may be too short to admit of
its becoming thoroughly cured before
freezing weather shall set in. The
safest way is to make it matter of
some care and attention to save the
seed corn, and to 60 into the field and
select the earliest ears, and from Wig
orous stalks, and when there are two
ears on one stalk, ''twist'' or braid
them in short punches of about twenty
five ears, and hang them in some room,
where they will be protected from the
wet and where they can not freeze,
until perfectly dry. If fire should be
put into the room, all the better, as
there is no possible danger of getting
it dried too much. Any thing short of
actually cooking it will do no harm
and makes its terminating strength
greater.
In old times the kitchen overhead
beams were ornamented with the
''twists'' of corn, and an extra stock of
seed was always kept on hand, to pro-
vide for an unfavorable or unfor tunate
season.
1t is never safe to save seed corn
which has been hus ked from a pile on
the barn floor, OF which has been piled
up anywhere, with an oppor tunity to
heat and mold. Such is generally the,
case when it is first drawn from the
fielu and the later-harvested does not
give full opportunity for its getting
fully cured before winter. In the
West, the corn is left generally on the
hill, the stalks not being cut up, and
the ears dry thus, and are plucked and
thrown into wagon, and if husked
are taken directly to the crib. If not
husked, the ears are thrown in a bic
pile with the h-lsks on, until the farmer
gets the crop gatherel,, NJ until it suits
his convenience to strip them, and then
put them in crib, or haul them to the
nearest market where they are cribbed,
awaiting shipment, or fitness to shell
and ship. Seed selected from such
handling is always attended with risk.
A few years ago the West lost millions
OF dollars from poor seed, and from
planting variety not early enough for
the latitude. This is common mis-
take in all kinds of seed planting, and
on this account it is best to rely on
home supply, or to procure kinds we'll
known to be adapted to the location.
l know of variety of yellow fruit
which has been grown in the same fam
lily for nearly seventy years, and it has
been lade earlier by selection, so that
a crop of sound corn is always had.
It's productiveness is also improved.
The losses in one years crop and the
extra labor expended will more than
equal the painstaking of lifetime,
with the satisfaction of certainty added,
so that it is evident that special care
with the seed corn will always pay
our Country Home.
Keeping Farm Accounts.
Few farmers make it rule to kenr
an accurate account of their expendi
lures and receipts as they should, in